Lawn-edge-trimming gage



J. LEES.

LAWN E DGE TRIMMING GAGE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I5, 1919- 1,343,269, v I Patented June 15,1920.

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JJ'AM I "o o gaffe A TTORNEVS J. LEES. LAWN EDGE TRIMMING GAGE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, I919- Patented June 15, 1920.

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arose v72 L Br 3O provide a cutting implement for-trimming UNIT STATES PATENT OFFiCE.-

I JOSEPH LEES, 01E WEST "BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

LAWN-EDGE-TRIMMYINGV GAGE.

Application filed November 15. 1919. Serial No. 333,180.

To all/whom it may camera."

Be it known that I, J osnrrr LIaES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of provide a gage bar of metal construction,

which can be pinned along the edge of a walk so that a cutting implement can be used in connection therewith in trimming off the turf in a smooth and evenmanner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a gage for. the purpose described, which is adjustable in respect to the edge of a walk, so that edges. of various widths can be trimmed off the adjacent ground.

A still further object of the invention is to provide. an improved cutting implementto, be used in'connection with the cutting gage above described.

A still further object of the invention is to the edge of a lawn adjacent to a walk, with out the use of the improved gage bar above referred to.v

Other objects and advantageswill appear in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which: f

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved gage bar pinned in place, and the improved cutting implement,to be used in connection therewith, applied as in use, h

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view showing how the central longitudinal slot in the gage bar istobe used in trimming off the edge of-the lawn,

' hereinafter, r 'Fig."4;,is a

Fig. 3 is a detail cross section referredto proved cutting implement in Fig. 1, 5 V I Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of an improved cutting implement to be used without the gage bar for cutting curved edges,

Fig. 6 is a side elevation thereof, showing a modification in whicha sawtooth edge is employed,

longitudinal section of theim- I Specification'of Letters Patent; Patent edjJun 15 1920.

Fig. 7 is a detail cross section taken V.

. stantially on the line 7-7 of-Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is a further modification of the turf cutter illustrated in Fig. 4,- and Fig. 9 is a further modification'of the gage, wherein telescopic members are employed.

By way of introduction, itmay be stated that the operation of trimming the edge of a lawn ad acent to a walk is always laborious and can be accomplished only with partial satisfaction so. far as appearances, after the j Work is done, are concerned.' Anotherwise attractive lawn is spoiled in appearance by a rough and agged edge, and it isthe purpose of theinvention, as defined in the fore? going description of the objects, to make it easy to trim off this roughedge so that a uni form and, pleasing appearance is presented.

Consider now Fig. '1. The gage bar 1 is made of metal or any desired material, in a length of perhaps ten feet, so that the blade,

2 of the improved cutting implement, may

be moved along a considerable distance before it becomes necessary to remove the pins or stakes 3 for a readjustment of the gage bar. Or if it be desired, the gage bar may be made of aplurality of sections of triangu- -lar tubing, each successively smaller so that the whole may be telescoped into a length of approximately 3 or 4 feet. .;The' gage bar is. beveled at l on opposite sides,and has a longitudinal slot 5 tapering downwardly toa relatively narrow slit at the bottom, as

clearly shown in 3. M

Screw eyes 6- are screwed into one of the 7 beveled surfaces 4, so as to assnme a horizon 1 tal positionwhen the gage bar islaid on-the grass adjacent to the edge of the walk W. These screw eyes can be screwed, in or out as far as desired and act. as limiting means so far as the position of the gage bar in respect to the edge of the walk, is concerned. I

Should awide trimmed edge 13 benesired, the screw eyes 6 areyscrewedrelatively far out, and conversely, shouldanarrow;

edge be desired, they are screwed ing- The stakes are inserted in the eyes of thescrews and pushed into the ground close tothe edge of the walk.'-' The walk therefore is used as the fixed meansv in reference to which the gage bar is positioned. fThe gage bar having been fixed in1place,as shown. in

Fig. 1, the cutting implement QdSfHlQVBd:

along, the'roughedge R iscut away, leav-} tween the grass and the walk. 1

ingv a smooth,.clean-cut beveled It is to be observed that the screw eyes can be turned. Necessarily this s so be- 7 cause they must be screwed in and out, but by virtue of being able -to turn. the screw a'slight inclination by reason of being able to turn the screw eyes in which that stake is when "he probably will find that the stone is avoided. H g r There may be "occasions when it is desired;

wvardly tapering slot 5, chopping along the inserted, and again pushes that stake down,

to trim up closejto the walk and not leave a beveled edge EasinFi'g. 1; In that-case,

the screw" eyes 6are taken out of the side" i and screwed in the holes 7, made for the purpose at the extremities ofthe bar, whereuponthe gagebar is affixed to the ground as The op 'rator now makes use of the down edge. of the lawn in the narrow slit at the bottom, which is sufficiently wide to permit the 'cutting'imp'lement to' pass.' When the gage bar is used in this way," it becomes necessary to remove "the bar before the por-.v

tions along the edge of the walk can be actually removed, because obviously, the gage bar will be in the way and prevent the removal of saidportionswhile it is inpolsition.

for their convenience that the, tapering slot 5 is provided. The .wide portion of .the

.Itis of course preferable to use the outside beveled edges of the ga'gebar for the purpose of trimming'the edge, as in Fig. 1',

. but it is'recogniz'ed that aged persons might have occasion to use this device, and" it is slotmakesit easy to insert the cutting implement even if the hand that wields the implementis unsteady.

Consider nowthe improved cutting, implement. The blade 2, already spoken of, is

preferably of the shape shown, with the widely diverging cutting edges 8 at the'bottom. .j The blade'hasa tang 9, which is 'inserted inthe end of'the'staff 10 and secured byapin'lL- A bore 12in-the upper end of the staff,

receives the reduce'd portion 13 of the striker 14, which maybe wholly or partially made I of iron. "The manner of useof the impler ment is clear. Theblade 2"is run alongthe beveled vedge of the gage bar, and when in proper'positiomthe strikerzl l is lifted and thrust into thebore12, imparting a smart (blow to the staff 10, whichis sufiicient to drive the blade:2"'across and cutcfi th t portion ofthe turf; V i

Consider next the form of the invention in Figs.- 5, 6 and 7. N This implement is capable of being used without the gage bar Itois of substantially U-shape in cross section as in Fig. 7 consistingof the metalside and suitable edge guides 1'7 on"tlie other. The body is mounted on the lower end of the handle 18. I e

In use, the guides 17 are thrust into the lic body 15,, with the cutting edge 16 on one 7 75, ground adjacent t'othe" edge of the walk W I a chopping or cutting motion being per formed by the operator. The blade 16thereby cuts a line along the lawn'a short distance from the edge of the walk, the intervening portion of turf being cut out and:remove-d by aside motion of" the implement. I

It" is to be observed thattheedges of the i wardly, as at- 19. This provision-is for the purpose of causing that side of the; body guides 17 areislightly beveled or bent out I next tofthe edgewo'f the walk, to'closely en gage' that edge, this action occurring by virtue of the pressure of 'the' earth -inside' of the tool toward the guides: In other words,

tions 19 tend to, cause the implement to move inwardly toward the edge of the walk and thus out a linea" uniform distance all around.

,. This tooljis of particular value in cut-H 190 as the tool is moved along, the beveled por ting around circular walks, the'gage bar 1 in Fig. 1' not-being well adapted for this particular use.- E A- hook 20 on the front end of the tool 15 ,inF'ig. 5, "can also be used Saw teeth 21 can be provided on the cuttlng blade 16, as in F-ig: 6, if desired. 'In'.

either case, the manner of operation of the r cutting implement is the same.

The modification of the turf cutterin-Fig.

8: consists in providing the pilot or guide 2 which is disposed" a suitable distance from the blade 2 at one extremity of-the staff or handle 10*; The guide 2 is-to be run alongthe edge of the'walk for the purpose of cutting off uniform portions of the turf, in the event that itbe desired not to use the gage bar illustrated in Fig.1,

A further modification" of thegage bar is shown in Fig. 9. Insteadofmakingthe gage bar of a single piece," a plurality .of

sections of triangular tubingfl l -"and'P l are employedj These fare successively, smaller so that they telescope one within' theother. They are 'pulledout to thelength desired, any suitablefstop meansbeing provided to keep the-sections from pulling apart altogether. Screw eyes ;,6:on the re- .spectivej sections, are 1 for the purpose bfreceiving the fastening stakes.

' lVhile the construction and arrangement'of the improved edge trimming guide-as here 30 10 0 in removing. that intervening-portion of theturf between the line out by theblade 16 and the edge of the walk;

I in described and claimed, is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim V l. A cutting implement used in connection with a lawn edge trimming gage, comprising a blade, a staff to which it is affixed and which has a bore, and a weighted driving member operative in said bore.

2. A cutting implement, comprising a blade with widely diverging cutting edges, and a tang; a stafi receiving the tang which is secured thereon, and including a bore; and an impacting member comprising a weighted handle with v a reduced portion operable in said bore.

3. A cutting implement, comprising a stafl, with cutting means including a blade,

and guide means spaced therefrom, enabling the accurate placing of the blade in respect to the edge of a walk.

4. A lawn edge trimming implement, comprising a handled cutting blade, and guide means, independently aflixed to the handle and spaced parallel to the blade to provide a sod cutting space.

5. A cutting implement, comprising ablade, a staff on which it is secured, in

cluding a bore; an impacting member comprising a weighted handle operable in said bore; and a suitably affixed and disposed guide spaced from the blade. 1

JOSEPH LEES. 

